At the end of another NPB season, the Japanese baseball world is again wondering how to beat these Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
After Saturday night's dramatic 11-inning 4-3 sayonara victory over the Yokohama BayStars in Game 6 of the Japan Series clinched another title, the dynastic Hawks once again secured their place at the top of the Japanese baseball pecking order.
They won 94 games this year, reaching 90 for the second time in three seasons. The Pacific League pennant they won by 13½ games was their fifth since 2010, and this latest Japan Series triumph was their fourth over the same span.
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